Chapter Fifty.
"I'm sorry. It's over."
The words hit Ira so hard she staggered. Her heart didn't just break..it dropped to the pit of her stomach, leaving her breathless.
She gripped her phone so tightly her knuckles turned white, her throat constricting until she could barely swallow.
"W... what?" Her voice came out small in the quiet of her room.
"I’m sorry, Ira." Kunal repeated..
"W... why? What's wrong?" Ira’s voice rose in panic "Did I do something? Is this about yesterday? I already told you, if it’s about Devraj, I have nothing to do with him! I swear, I... I..."
Her eyes stung with the sudden burn of tears. She clenched her free hand into a fist, digging her nails into her palm, closing her eyes tight to force the tears back.
She wouldn't break. Not yet.
"I... Ira, I’m really, really sorry.. Things are hard on my end" he whispered. The grief in his voice was palpable, but it offered her no comfort..only more confusion.
Ira took a long, shuddering breath, forcing the air into her lungs to steady her trembling body.
She opened her eyes, a few stray tears escaping down her cheeks. She exhaled, her spine straightening as a cold, stern resolve settled over her.
"Tell me the reason.." she said, her voice suddenly dropping into a steady tone.
"Tell me why you’re destroying us, and I won’t bother you ever again."
There was a silence on the line. Kunal looked at Devraj, who was watching him with the patience of a vulture.
"I... Ira.." Kunal choked out, "I just... I don't think we’re...compatible anymore. It’s not working."
The word compatible hit her harder than the breakup itself. It was so corporate, so cold, so unlike the man who had promised to protect her. Ira didn't reply for a long beat.
She just breathed, shaky and thin.
"Okay." she said finally, "Take care, Kunal."
She ended the call before he could say another word.
She sat on the edge of her bed, her breath coming in gasps as the tears finally flooded out.
She looked down at the ring on her finger.
"I don't think we’re compatible..." The words looped in her head..
~??~
Kunal let out a shaky, broken breath, staring at the darkened screen of his phone. He felt like he had just murdered the best part of himself.
"You did well.." Devraj said with no devoid of any empathy. His amber eyes pinning Kunal to the spot.
"Now, listen carefully. I don't want to see you anywhere near her.
Don't call her. Don't text her. Don't even think her name in public. I have eyes everywhere, Kunal. If I see even a hint of communication, I won’t just freeze a deal next time. I will come for you harsher. And this time, I’ll make sure there’s nothing left to ruin, it will hit you like a train. "
Kunal’s grip tightened on his phone until the casing groaned. He looked up, his eyes bloodshot and burning with a hatred.
He glared at Devraj..
"Take the folder and get the fuck out." Devraj said dismissively as he turned back to seat back down on his chair.
"You are so unbelievably selfish.." Kunal breathed, "You claim to love her, yet you sit there with a smile while you listen to her heart shatter into a million pieces? You’re satisfied by her pain?"
"I’ll admit that I am selfish.." Devraj replied, not even bothering to look up from the documents. "And yes, I love her. Am I satisfied that I’ve finally severed her from a man like you? Yes. More than you can possibly imagine."
"You are absolutely insane."
"Trust me, Kunal.." Devraj said, his eyes finally snapping up to meet his. "This is only a fraction of the madness I’m capable of. Now, take this folder and vanish from my office before I decide that your family’s ruin is more entertaining than your cooperation."
Kunal’s hand shook as he reached for the black leather folder..the price of Ira’s freedom.
"You’re sick.." he whispered. He turned and walked toward the door, steppingout. The door closed shut behind him.
As soon as the room was empty, Devraj let out a genuine smile, a rare, terrifying flash of white teeth.
"One obstacle down.." he murmured.
He reached for his phone and dialed a number. It picked up on the second ring.
"Mr. Rathore. A pleasure to hear from you again." a gravelly, professional voice answered.
"I have a task for you." Devraj started..
"I’m listening, Sir."
"There is a small mechanical workshop located at Plot 14, GIDC Estate, Akurli Road, Kandivali East, Mumbai. You know the owner, don't you?" Devraj asked, his thumb tracing the edge of his mahogany desk.
"Yes, Sir. We have the full records on the property and the owner is Mr. Mahesh Verma."
"Perfect.." Devraj said, his eyes darkening. "I want you to begin the next phase for me..."
????
Ira splashed water over her face in the bathroom, She looked up, and the mirror reflected a stranger..her green eyes, usually so bright and full of life, were now dull and bloodshot, framed by the raw puffiness of a long cry.
She looked down at the ring still on her finger. Slowly she twisted it off.
"Ending a relationship over compatibility is a coward’s exit." she whispered. "Especially after you spent months together convincing me we were the perfect fit." She stared at the ring in her palm, and let out a sigh.
"Ira!!"
The bedroom door burst open. Ritika charged in, her face flushed with a protective storm of fury.
Ira walked out of her bathroom..
She didn't say another word before she pulled Ira into a bone crushing hug.
"Oh, my baby.." Ritika hissed into her hair. "That fool is going to get the beating of a lifetime when I catch him. I’ll make sure he regrets the day he ever learned that word." She pulled away.
Ira let out a small chuckle.
"I don’t even see the point, Ritika. Please. Just let it go."
Ritika glared at her, folding her arms tight across her chest.
"I see the point perfectly! Who the hell gives a not compatible excuse after months of dating and planning a future? It’s pathetic. It’s a script written by a man who’s too weak to tell the truth."
Ira sighed and sat on the edge of her bed. Ritika sat beside her.
Ira carefully placed the ring on the nightstand, next to a photo of her and Kunal that she couldn't bring herself to look at yet.
"Something felt... wrong about that call.." Ira murmured, her eyes distant. "Kunal didn't sound like himself. He sounded uptight. Like he–."
"Then he should have been honest instead of lying under pressure.." Ritika snapped cutting her off, though her voice softened as she saw Ira’s lower lip tremble.
Ira nodded slowly, her gaze fixed on her empty hands.
"That’s why I didn't push him. I can fight for us, Ritika. I would have fought the world for him. But there’s a limit to how much weight one person can carry when the other person has already let go of their end.
I just hope... I hope he’s happy. I hope he finds whatever compatibility he’s looking for. "
Fresh tears gathered in her eyes, blurring the room. Ritika reached out, gripping Ira’s hand, her heart breaking for her best friend.
"Have you talked to your Aunty and Uncle about this?" Ritika asked..
Ira let out a shaky breath and slowly shook her head.
"No.." Ira whispered, her voice barely audible. "And I’d like to keep it that way for as long as possible."
"You know they’re going to find out eventually, Ira. You can’t hide a broken engagement forever."
"Then let’s just wait until eventually arrives.
." Ira said, offering Ritika a smile so sad it looked like it might shatter.
"My heart aches so much right now, Ritika. I’m an emotional wreck.
I just... I need a moment to breathe before I have to explain to them why the future we all planned is gone. "
Ritika didn't push further. She simply leaned in and pulled her best friend back into a fierce, protective hug.
"I’m here.." she whispered into Ira’s hair. "Always."
~??~
Ira’s mother and father exchanged a worried look across the dining table. Ira was sitting with them, her fork toyed with her food, but her mind was clearly miles away
The silence felt loud.
Raghav, sitting beside her, also noticed the look in her eyes. He glanced at his parents, the three of them sharing a silent, concerned conversation through their expressions.
Finally, her father cleared his throat, trying to break the tension.
"Ira? The food... it’s delicious, beta. As always."
Ira blinked, snapping back to the present. She looked up and offered him a small, polite smile that didn't reach her eyes.
She gave a stiff nod and forced herself to take a single, tasteless bite.
"Ira? Are you alright, honey?" her mother asked softly..
Ira looked at her mother, her mask of composure slipping for a second before she tightened it.
"Yes, Maa. I’m fine. Just... I think I’m full. May I be excused?"
Her mother let out a defeated sigh and nodded. "Of course, dear."
Ira stood up, her movements sluggish a bit. The family watched in silence as she walked away.
"Something is very wrong." her mother whispered the moment Ira was out of sight.
"We should talk to her later. " her father suggested, though his own brow was furrowed with worry. "Or maybe tomorrow morning. Let her have this night to herself. Whatever it is, she needs a moment of peace."
Her mother nodded slowly, her appetite gone. Raghav, however, kept his eyes fixed on the stairs, his protective brotherly instincts humming with a dark suspicion..
~??~
Ira sat tucked into the window nook, her knees pulled tight to her chest.
She stared out at the night. The moon was full, its pale glow reflecting in her tear-brimmed eyes.
A soft, hesitant knock broke the silence. Then another.
"Ira? Can I come in?"
It was Raghav. She quickly swiped at her cheeks with the back of her hand and swallowed the lump in her throat, trying to find her voice.
"Yeah... you can come in."
The door creaked open, and Raghav poked his head in first, with a look of exaggerated caution that made Ira let out an unintended chuckle.
Seeing her smile, he grinned and stepped inside, closing the door shut behind him.
"It’s freezing in here.." he noted playfully, rubbing his arms. He walked over to the window, his expression softening as he looked at her.
"Just like your face... very cold."
Ira blinked, a small huff of a laugh escaping her.
"I see what you did there. Very smooth, Raghav."
He smiled and settled onto the cushion beside her, joining her in staring out at the moon.
"I still wish I’d won the coin toss for this room.. " he sighed, "I remember how hard you fought for this room and i see the reason why. You can see everything from here..the moon, the neighbors, the temple near by..."
Ira laughed softly, the memory of their childhood bickering.
But as the laughter died, the silence returned, and Raghav’s gaze traveled to the redness around her eyes.
His playful expression vanished, replaced by the possessiveness of a brother.
"Now.." he said softly, reaching out to gently brush a stray tear from her cheek. "How about you tell me what turned your mood so sour... and what or who made you cry like this?"
Ira blinked at him, the kindness in his touch making her resolve crumble. She looked away, her lip trembling as a fresh tear escaped.
"I’m... I’m fine, Raghav." she whispered.
Raghav didn't pull away. He studied her for a seconds, his eyes narrowing as he pieced together her silence.
He looked at her bare finger..the one that usually carried a ring..and his face went stone-cold.
"You and Kunal broke up, didn't you?"
Ira gasped, her head snapping back toward him, her eyes wide with shock..
"How... how did you know?"
"Sour mood, puffy eyes, the sudden loss of appetite.
.. the Ira I know isn't like this, you love food.
." Raghav said, "You look pale, Ira. These aren't just signs of a bad day.
These are the symptoms of a heart being ripped out.
Also, you removed the ring Kunal gave you.
. you never take it off, Ira. Never. "
Ira blinked, the sheer accuracy of his words hitting her. Her composure vanished. She let her head fall against his shoulder, and the tears came rushing out.
"I... I don’t know what I did wrong, Raghav.." she sobbed into his shirt, her fingers clutching his sleeve. "He just... he broke it off today. Out of nowhere.."
Raghav’s jaw tightened.
He pulled her closer, wrapping his arms around her.
"Did he give you a reason? Did you ask him to explain?"
"He said we... we aren't compatible.." she choked out.
Raghav let out a breath, his brow furrowing in deep annoyance.
"The typical coward’s response. Listen to me, Ira. If a man can’t fight for what he has, or at the very least have the courage to speak the truth when things are wrong, then he isn't worth a single drop of your energy. A man who folds that easily doesn't deserve the tears you're wasting on him."
Ira sniffed, her breath hitching as she tried to pull herself together.
"You are beautiful.." Raghav continued, pulling back just enough to look her in the eyes.
"You’re the strongest woman I’ve ever known. You're selfless, you're kind, and you've got enough fire in you to burn this whole city down if you wanted to. Any man would kill to be with a woman like you. You have to know that."
Ira brows knitted together in confusion at the intensity of his words.
"Kill to be with me? Raghav, what are you talking about? I don't want that kind of love, it's violence! And it's creepy and scary."
Raghav’s somber expression broke for a moment, a mischievous, brotherly glint returning to his eyes.
He leaned back, crossing his arms.
"Trust me, I’m dead serious. You have no idea how many admirers I’ve had to chase away from the workshop with a heavy-duty spanner just because they were asking too many questions about my sister. And some even fighting each other. Bunch of fools"
Ira let out a genuine, startled laugh through her tears, a bright spark in the room.
Raghav smiled...
"Good. Keep that light on your face.." Raghav said, his voice softening with genuine relief. "You look so much more alive when you aren't letting some fool dim your spark. You’re beautiful, Ira. Don’t you ever forget it."
Ira let out a shaky sigh and lunged forward to hug him tight.
"Thank you, Raghav.." she whispered into his shoulder. "I needed that."
He smiled, pressing a firm, brotherly kiss to the top of her head before gently disentangling himself.
He stood up, stretching his muscled frame.
"I need to get some sleep now, okay? We’ve got a massive day at the workshop tomorrow..those engines aren't going to fix themselves."
He started walking toward the door, his hand already on the handle, when he paused and looked back with a wicked playful smirk.
"And please.." he added, "stop crying over a man. It makes even the prettiest woman look like a wilted vegetable. Besides, my sister is destined for a palace! There’s no way I’m letting you settle for some poor mediocre asshole. You deserve the world, Ira."
Ira let out a laugh again.... Raghav winked, satisfied that he’d chased the sadness away for the night, and stepped out, closing the door shut behind him.
Ira felt... lighter. The ache was still there, a dull throb in the center of her chest, but the stabbing panic had faded.
She turned back to the window, looking up at the moon.
She offered the night a small, tired smile snd closed her eyes as she pulled her knees to her cjest again.
Unaware that while her brother was dreaming of a wealthy man for her, the wealthiest man in the country was already busy destroying her world just to claim her.
??????